A routine fishing trip off the coast of Waikiki, Hawaii took an unexpected turn when two fishermen stumbled upon a mysterious object floating in the ocean. Initially mistaken for a capsized boat, the sleek, bright yellow object was later identified as a classified unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) belonging to PacMar Technologies and linked to DARPA’s “Manta Ray” program.
The UUV was confirmed by the US Coast Guard and PacMar Technologies, with the latter stating that it was a government research drone without weapons onboard. However, further details about the drone’s purpose or what it was doing off the coast of Waikiki remain classified.
The discovery has raised questions about the extent and nature of the Manta Ray program, which aims to develop long-duration, long-range underwater vehicles capable of operating autonomously in dynamic maritime environments. The recent sighting suggests that the program may be exploring new capabilities beyond traditional underwater navigation.
An eyewitness video shows the drone with distinctive features such as long, thin wings, horizontal stabilizers, and top-wing-mounted propellers at a 45-degree angle, which could indicate transmedium capabilities, allowing it to operate seamlessly between air and water. This is in contrast to the more conventional submarine shape of PacMar Technologies’ Manta Ray prototype.
While DARPA has confirmed that testing has been underway, details have been largely scarce. The recent sighting off Waikiki raises new questions about the extent and nature of the Manta Ray project, particularly given the stark differences between the drone design found by the fishermen and the program’s stated purpose.
Source: https://thedebrief.org/fishermen-off-hawaii-stumble-upon-mysterious-classified-darpa-drone-potentially-revealing-unique-capabilities/